You Don't Know What You've Got Til It's Gone
by Sam-453
Summary: *NEW CHAPTER 3*Various stuff:Alec tells Max he's leaving- interesting consequences. Max reads an article and the name of the autho nags at Max's memory, although she does not know the name.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel. Believe me, I wish I did…

NB: After Freak Nation. Max and Alec are NOT together at the moment, but Max and Logan have (finally) agreed that nothing can ever happen between them and that they need to move on. So other than that… enjoy (and review, please!! I have some more to come but I wont bother if no one reads it…)

"Max?" Alec called out as he knocked on the door.

            "Uh-huh? Come in!" she called back. He entered tentatively. He stood at the edge of the room nervously. Max glanced up, then sighed. "Ok, what's up?" Alec laughed shortly. Max always knew how to read him.

            "It's just… Max… I have to leave. I got word from some friends…. They need help."

            "Yeah, cool. For how long?" Max said brightly.

            "That's the thing. I think, maybe… for good." Max stiffened.

            "Like… forever?" Even Max herself didn't quite understand the strain on her voice.

            "Max, I know there's a lot going on here at the moment… But…"

            "That's fine. You sound like you're asking my permission. Why'd you do that? Just go." She said it all very quickly, and set about tidying her already military neat room. 

            "Max…" He sighed.

            "What?" she snapped.

            "I don't mean to…"

            "When do you leave?" She said quieter, refusing to face him.

            "Tomorrow morning. Max, I'm sorry. I wouldn't go if I didn't have to."

            "I know." She said in barely more than a whisper.

            "If there was anything I could do…"

            "Just…" Max gasped. Alec frowned a little… was Max crying?

            "Max… I don't want to…."

            "Then don't." She breathed turning around. "Don't leave."

            "I have to." He said, coming to her. He instinctively reached out, trying to comfort her, a little confused. "I didn't think that you would take it like this."

            " I didn't." Max snapped, turning away and wiping the tears from her eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about." Alec breathed a laugh.

            "I'm sorry, ok?" She didn't answer, and refused to turn round, so he sighed, said, "Bye then." And walked out. Max spun as soon as he was gone.  She hesitated, then strode after him into the deserted hall.

            "Alec!" she exclaimed. He turned to her, frowning slightly. "Alec… I just… I …" She stood right before him, and couldn't say another word. He sighed, and turned to leave once more. Max grabbed his arm, spinning him back, their lips meeting immediately. Max wrapped her arms around his neck. Alec held her close, and they stumbled back towards Max's room, their lips never parting. The door swung closed behind them.

            Max awoke slowly, and smiled, remembering the previous night. She stretched out without opening her eyes, and found the other side of the bed empty. Max's eyes snapped open. She leapt from the bed, bundling the sheet around her. But Alec was nowhere to be seen. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a folded piece of paper on the chair by her bed. She picked it up, and read:

Max,

            I'm long gone- don't try to follow. I'm hopeless at good byes. Take care of yourself, Max. I really am sorry.

            Yours, Alec.

The ink ran with Max's tears as she slid down to the floor. She didn't even bother to run outside in an attempt to catch him- if he said he was long gone, then he would be.

A few hours later, Max had pulled her self together, taken a cold shower, and restored her room to a state that would have made Lydecker proud. She dressed, and taking a deep breath, headed out into the corridor that lead to the control room of terminal city. Of course she still had her room with Cindy, but as she often had to spend late nights working on things here, it was easier to have somewhere to crash in TC too.

Max marched into the control room, to find Mole and several others already at work with computers, weapons, and other necessary business.

"Wha's up guys?" she asked, startling even Mole.

"Shit Max, do you always have to do that sneaky cat-silent crap?" Dix exclaimed, "Gives me the wiggins."

"Sorry." Max murmured, "So…? Any news?" She asked Mole.

"Nope. The 'guard aren't movin'; No one listens to Clemente…" Max tried to say something, but Mole continued, with an expression that said, _I know, I know_. "… Who, I agree, does seem to be giving us a chance, ok?" Max seemed satisfied. "So basically there ain't anythin' new. Sorry Max. It don't look like this is gonna get better any time soon. An' it doesn't help Alec leavin' either, I tell you that. I really can't believe him, y'know? He knows how difficult shit is around here, and…"

"Leave him out of it. He's gone. He said he had to go, but whether he had a choice or not, he's gone and its that simple." Max rapped out. Mole seemed very put out, and wasn't the only one that wondered how long the yelling had gone on between her and Alec the night before. They'd all cleared out very quickly the moment they saw Alec head towards her room. Max glanced around, and decided she couldn't take those awkward looks much longer. She didn't want to lose her temper, so she mumbled, "I gotta jet." And left.

She was half way to JamPony, (in the sewers) before she remembered that it still wasn't safe to go to work. Normal was now sympathetic to the cause, but the cops, and most of  Seattle still weren't, so she, Alec, and the other transgenic employees had been forced to keep their distance. Still, it was never the less useful to have friends and contacts in a messenger service. It made getting supplies without drawing attention much easier. Max paused, unsure where to go. She considered the space needle, but the idea was quashed by the fact that it was daytime, and the last thing she needed was headlines of 'Trannies seek refuge on old time tourist site', or 'Nutter on the needle'. She allowed herself a grim smile at these and headed instead for her and Cindy's apartment, hoping beyond hope that if for some reason Cindy was home, she wouldn't be able to read Max's mood as she often could.

Max crept into the apartment, and found it empty. She breathed a sigh of relief and set some water to boil for coffee. Then she fished out the laptop she recently acquired in order to work from home. She set it up and entered the various passwords that gave her access to all reports of anything transgenic to reach the eyes only informant net, whether from eyes only supporters or just news reports. Logan had helped her set this up so that she could see them easily, instead of having to go through him every time. Max made her coffee and settled down in front of the large number of new files that had just made their presence known. She opened the first, which was a tabloid headline, reading,

TRANSGENICS: FRIEND OR FOE?

Max raised her eyebrows, that was a step in the right direction, surely? She found that the article did put forward some valid points in their favour, stating many things Max had been trying to communicate for several months. This included the fact that the police had declared that Joshua had been clear of the sewers long before the time the coroner placed Annie's time of death, as well as the fact that the police had truly attacked first in the original public display of 'transgenic brutality' that White had set up. Of course Logan had tried to convey these points many times, but those opposed to transgenics had taken to ignoring eyes only long ago. However when written in a popular tabloid, it was possible more people could listen. Max scanned the rest of the article, eager to see who had written it. But the name was not familiar. Max had for a fleeting moment thought that perhaps it had been Sketchy, but she knew he didn't work for this paper, so that had been ridiculous. This was by a 'Betty Clurra'. Max did not know the name, but it gave her an odd feeling of recognition all the same. She frowned, and saved the document in a file to go over again before moving on.


	2. Betty Clurra'

Chapter 2 

Max soon composed her self enough to go back to her normal routines without Alec. But even a week later, after reading the article over and over, that name still bothered her. The next Saturday, Max was sitting in Crash (which had declared itself transgenic friendly, and had only not been attacked because of the knowledge of the number of transgenics that were generally around and would no doubt fight back) when Logan arrived to find her sitting alone and looking very annoyed.

"You ok?" He asked, taking a seat opposite her.

"Yeah." She said, letting out a frustrated breath.

"You've seemed a little on edge ever since…" Logan began. Max raised her eyebrows, a look Logan knew all too well.

"Since Alec left?" She finished. Logan nodded. Max laughed shortly. "The morning he went I read this." She told him, passing him a print out of the article. Logan read it, and looked up, nonplussed. 

"So… that's good."

"Yeah, I know, but we've never heard of her before, she's popped out of no where." Max knew that was a lame excuse to be interested, but she'd nearly convinced herself that that was what was getting at her. 

"Max… so what? That's good."

"I know." Max sighed, giving in. "I don't know what bugs me so much about that name. She laughed inwardly as she wondered if Logan would start analysing it like a piece of evidence, maybe fiddling with the order of the letters, working out anagrams… Max's thought train was cut as she grabbed the paper back from Logan and began frantically scribbling by the woman's name. When she stopped, she had a wide eyed, unbelieving look on her face.

"Max?" Logan queried.

"Just had to make sure." Max murmured, before jumping up and leaving before Logan could so much as speak. Logan picked up the paper she'd abandoned on the table. Under the name, many letters of which had been crossed off systematically, was written,

Lucy Barrett

Logan gaped at the name, before quickly following Max's path to the exit.

            Max parked her bike outside the offices of the 'Seattle Post', and proceeded to tie back her hair and don a pair of prescription-less glasses she often used for disguises. She straightened her jacket, then on a second thought removed it, knowing all media footage of her (this was very scarce, and her face had not yet been shown, but it didn't hurt to be careful.) would have shown this jacket. She entered the reception area in her dark blue long sleeved T-shirt with a v-neck, and went straight to the desk.

            "Hi, I'm looking for Betty Clurra." She said. The pudgy, red-faced receptionist replied in the sort of tone used for recorded answering service messages.

            "I'm sorry. Miss Clurra is freelance, and you shall have to contact her through her outside number."

            "Yeah, look, don't you have some way I can contact her?"

            "I'm sorry. Miss Clurra is…" She repeated, and Max shot her a suspicious glance wondering if she was in fact a robot and this was really a recorded message. Max rolled her eyes and walked out. She flipped open her phone, dialled a number, and moments later Logan answered.

            "Max. Hi, that name, is it…"

            "Find out how I can contact Betty Clurra, Logan." She interrupted. "Please." The latter was added as an afterthought.

            "Sure thing, but…"

            "Call me when you have something, ok?" Max hung up without waiting for a reply. She was preoccupied with trying to work out how she could find her faster. The phone rang, and Max flipped it open automatically. "Yep."

            "I was going to say, I already did." Logan said in a slightly annoyed voice."

            "Oh." She replied, put out.

            "She lives at 93 Market street. You know where that is?"

            "Logan. I'm a friggin bike messenger. Of Course I know… Thanks, Logan." 

"It's nothing. But is she…"

"We'll talk later." They said their goodbyes, and hung up. Max paused for a second to sigh. There had been an odd atmosphere between her and Logan for quite a while now, since they finally agreed that it really was for both of their own good for them to remain 'just friends' and to move on. But in general, Max had not been aware that she had until last week. She had very mixed emotions about her night with Alec, from anger at him, to blissful pleasure, to anger at herself for doing that when she knew it could only do harm when he was leaving the next day. But never once had she felt guilt. And it was when she realised this that she realised that she and Logan were truly history. 

            Max sighed once more, and mounted her bike, removing the glasses and heading for Market street, where she prayed she would find 'Betty Clurra' alone.

            It was an old and dilapidated, but reasonably large house. Max crept up the drive way and down the side of the building, looking and listening for signs of life. Reaching the back, Max had not yet seen so much as a single light. She picked to lock on the back door, and carefully opened the door. No alarm sounded and she breathed a sigh of relief. About to step over the threshold, Max glanced down and spotted a laser beam about a foot from the floor. A smile tweaked Max's lips. _Clever_, she thought. _Allow them to think they're in, and get them with that which they don't expect._ She checked for more beams before carefully stepping over and into the house. Max silently moved through the rooms that were much cosier than you'd imagine from the exterior of the place. She froze when she saw light under a door. Thinking for a minute, Max realised that room probably only looked out on the other side of the house from that she's seen, and not the back either. Max considered her options, and decided to bide her time. 

            Betty Clurra yawned and glanced at her watch.

            "Oh crap." She moaned, seeing that it was past midnight. "An' I have to get up tomorrow an' all…" She closed down her computer and picked up the various dirty coffee mugs that littered the desk. Stifling another yawn, she moved to the kitchen, switching off the study light without turning any others on. She dumped the mugs in the sink, filled a glass with water, and headed into the living room, which lead to the hall, and the stairs. As she entered, a voice reached her through the darkness.

            "Betty Clurra?" 

She dropped the glass and it smashed on the floor. She fumbled in her pocket and came out with a gun. "Whoa…" continued the voice. "Sorry, didn't mean to freak you. I just can't resist the dramatics, y'know?" Betty relaxed very slightly. The voice sounded so… normal, calming.

            "Who are you?" She managed.

            "A friend… I think… I guess." Max sighed, getting nowhere. "I'm a transgenic. I want to talk to you, that's all." Betty swallowed.

            "So why'd you break into my house and scare the shit outta me then?"

            "Sorry to break it to ya, Betts, but you're kinda difficult to get hold of."

            "I know." She laughed a little. "I meant to be. I shouldn't be so surprised, should I?" She lowered the gun, but still clutched it apprehensively. "You mind if I turn on a light?" She asked.

            "Go ahead." Max replied. Betty reached out to the switch nearby and flicked it, preparing herself for whatever ghastly sight she was about to behold. She instead found herself looking upon a stunning beautiful girl with dark hair, chocolaty brown eyes and olive skin. She quickly closed her gaping mouth. 

            "So… err, you wanted to talk?" She said.

            "Yeah. I read your article. I guess I should really start by saying thanks. Very few people have admitted to any of those things you said.

            "But I know they're true."

            "I know. So do I." Max smiled. Betty looked Max up and down, noting the jacket, and her cool but hard demeanour.  

            "You're 452, aren't you?" She said quietly. This shocked Max a little, but she nodded. "They say you're the one Clemente talked to in Jam Pony. That you're the leader." Max shrugged.

            "Yeah, and kinda. I don't want to like… control those guys, but they're new in this world, and they need someone to show 'em the way."

            "And you aren't new in this world?"

            "No. I got out a while ago." Max didn't want to get complicated. "Look, what I wanted to know is why? Why do you believe us?" Betty sighed, and looked down, as if it took great effort to think about this.

            "Because… I think… I think I used to know one of you." Max sharply inhaled, and the other woman continued. "When I was a kid, there was a girl who stayed with us for a while. She was a little younger than me, naïve as hell, didn't seem to know a thing about the world. It was in 09, about the time eyes only said the first of you escaped. When she turned up, I was making a snow man, and she didn't know what it was. She was wearing these awful grey pyjama things, and had no shoes. I smuggled her back to my house and she was like a sister for a while…" Betty looked up to see that 452 was crying silently. "What…?" Betty gasped.

            "Your name is an anagram, isn't it?" Max said quietly. Betty's eyes went wide. "Your real name is… Lucy Barrett, right?"

            "How did you know that?" Betty… Lucy gasped. Max did not answer, but simply looked into the other woman's eyes as tears continued to fall from her own. Lucy began to shake her head slowly.

            "I never did introduce myself, did I?" Max said, "My name is Max, or Maxie to some, y'know, people I might call family."

            "Maxie?" Lucy exclaimed, tears streaming down her cheeks. She dropped the gun and wound her way across the room. She stood before the transgenic, tracing the lines of her face with her eyes. Max pulled her hair back to make it look shorter, and they both laughed a little. "Oh my god. Maxie!" Lucy cried, throwing her arms around the ecstatic transgenic, who hugged back tightly. "Oh god, Maxie I missed you!"

            "I missed you too, Lucy. I'm so sorry I left you! I'm so sorry…" Max sobbed into her hair as they clung to each other. "I missed you so much!" The two sank to the floor, still hugging, crying and gasping things they'd wanted to say for nearly twelve years. For once, nothing outside mattered, and Max was a little girl again, in that tiny house near LA, and all she wanted was to hold tight to her sister and never let go.

A few hours later, the two were sitting together sipping yet another cup of coffee, still in full flow about their lives since they'd last seen each other twelve years earlier. Apparently Lucy's mother had finally left her father a few months after Max had run. They'd had very little money, and Lucy began writing as soon as possible. It was one decent job she could do without leaving school and in which no one had to know she was only a child. She wrote for any paper or magazine she could, using a different name for each, and soon began to receive a steady-ish income. For the last few years she had been writing full time, still using her alias Max had deciphered, for many reasons including the fact that she intended to cause trouble for powerful people who hurt weaker ones simply because they can. When she got to his stage, she paused. Max knew she was holding back new tears. Max shook her head,

"I'm so sorry, Lucy." 

Lucy squeezed Max's hand.

"No. You had every right to get the hell out. I wouldn't'a left my mum anyway, and if you hadn't done what you did, I don't think my mum would ever have got the courage to leave him."

"I'm still sorry." Max said pointlessly. "I went back y'know, after about a year, but the house was deserted."

"Yeah. I dunno what happened to my Dad. To tell you the truth I really don't care. Look, Max… with everything that's going on… I want to do anything I can to help." Max's eyes flew wide, she'd been expecting her to say she didn't want to get too involved. Lucy grinned. "I am gonna show those dimwits out there the truth about transgenics in a way they cannot ignore, lil' sis'." Max smiled naturally as she called her this, and pulled her into another hug.

"I love you Luce." She said.

"Love you too Maxie."


	3. And then when it comes back

Note: you asked if Alec was coming back, well here's the answer… **Chapter 3**

Around eight months later…

Alec rode into town, feeling corny as he thought _I'm home!_ He caught sight of transgenics as he went, not necessarily one's he knew, but it's hard to miss most of them. He smiled inwardly. Transgenics roaming the streets without mobs on their tails- Max really was good. He diverted his course from terminal city to Max and Cindy's crib. He'd been thinking about her non-stop for the last eight months, and couldn't wait to see her.

Alec knocked on the door, passing a hand through his hair and straightening his jacket. When Cindy opened the door, she gasped.

"Alec!"

"Hey, Cindy! I'm back! Where's Max?"

"I'm fine, thanks for asking." Cindy grumbled, swinging the door wide and retreating in. Alec followed, looking hopeful. "As for Max…" Cindy's voice was tinged with sadness, "She gone sugar." Alec's face fell.

"What do you mean 'gone'?"

"I mean _gone_. She left town a coupla months ago when things got sorted here."

"Why?" Alec exclaimed, "If she worked so hard…"

"Don't ask me, boy. Max was… different… since a while after you left. She was even more withdrawn than before, wouldn't even tell me what went down. I wondered if it was cos of Logan. Y'know, since they officially split?"

"That was ages before I left!" Alec retorted.

"Yeah, well all I know is that Max hasn't had a single date since. Not one! An' its not as if they weren't throwing themselves at her either! Transgenic, transhuman, ordinaries…" Alec felt a selfish swell of happiness. "And y'know what?" Cindy continued, "When she was in heat- she locked herself in one of those top security labs in TC. Threw the keys outta this titchy window and told me not to let her out for a week!" Alec's eyes widened in disbelief. "I'm serious!" Cindy cried. Alec got an inkling that Cindy had been dying to talk to someone about this for a long time. He was beginning to panic. It sounded like Max was gone permanently.

"Look… don't you have some way to contact her?" He gabbled quickly, interrupting her stream of exclamations.

"I… sorta. I'm not s'posed to use it unless it's an emergency." She sighed. "I'll see what I can do. But some time you an' her are gonna have to tell me what the dealio is with you two."

"There is no 'dealio'." Alec replied far too quickly.

"Yeah right." She smiled. "I'll see you later." Alec took this as a cue to let him self out, and did so. Cindy picked up the phone and called the message box Max had set up.

Many, many miles away, Max phoned the message box- just to check. There was one message:

"Hey Bu, It's me, Original Cindy. I know you said only to call if it was an emergency… but hey, sue me. I just wanted to say that everythin's going cool here, and your girl Lucy is probably the most popular ordinary in the whole of TC. I'm jealous."

Max smirked.

"Oh, also," the message continued, Cindy's voice overly casual, "Alec turned up today. He's back, and seemed kinda keen to see you. I swear he looked damn heart broken when I said you weren't here. What the hell went down with you two? Anyway… I thought you'd like to know. So… I guess I'll see ya sometime? Bye Bu. Look after your self."

Max's mouth was dry as her heart beat ridiculously fast. Alec was back in Seattle.

Alec returned to Terminal city, receiving a huge, rib-crushing welcome from Joshua, and though they tried not to show it, Alec could tell the others were glad to see him too. He soon realised that there were was a lot more transgenics in TC than there had been when he left. In fact, the only spare room was Max's old one. He took it reluctantly, having given up his apartment when he left Seattle, and about a week after he got back, he headed for Jam Pony in search of a job.

Alec strolled down the ramp, pleased to see old faces, as well as new ones, and again, some that were unmistakably transgenic. Normal, yelling at his employees and reading addresses off parcels, nearly bumped into him.

"Whoa, sorry." Alec grinned.

"Oh my God. My Golden Boy is back!" He gathered Alec into a hug, which he didn't return. (Not that normal even noticed this) 

"Yeah, I'm back. Can I have a job?"

"Do you really need to ask? Chuck out whoever took your locker and make yourself at home!" 

"Thanks, Normal." Alec said, frowning slightly. Normal freaked him out a little. He'd gotten so used to it before, but eight months away, and now it was weird again. He spotted Cindy and joined her by the lockers. "Hey Cindy. Any word?" He said, trying, and failing to sound off-hand. Cindy considered rolling her eyes, but thinking of Max, she couldn't. What she did say was the truth, and as they say, the truth hurts. 

"No. I left a message, like I told you… but she di'n't call back." Alec nodded, heaving a sigh. "I'm sorry, Alec." Cindy scrutinized him. "What _did_ go down between you two?"

"Nothing." He said, and went to get a parcel from Normal. Cindy watched him go, sighing. In the six months between when Alec left and Max did the same, she'd known something was up with Max. She did not leave because she needed to spread the word about Seattle being a transgenic homeland. She didn't even leave to find her sibs. Cindy knew even at the time that she left because 'home' wasn't anymore. And now Cindy knew why, just not how. 

A couple of nights later, Alec lay restlessly in Max's old bed. His eyes were closed, but not matter how hard he tried, all Alec could see were images of the pain that had followed him all his life. Suddenly, for no conscious reason, he sat bolt up right. He peered around the room in an attempt to discover what had set off his Manticore senses. It wasn't hard. In the bluish moonlight coming through the open window, there stood a figure. Alec stood up.

"Max?" he gasped, barely believing what his senses were telling him.

"You nicked my room." She replied.

"There weren't any others."

"Oh."

"Max… I… I'm so sorry."

"I can crash with Cindy." She shrugged.

"You know that's not what I mean." He said quietly. Alec had rehearsed this in his head a thousand times, and it wasn't going the way he'd planned. Max shrugged again. "Max… I don't know how to…"

"Then don't." She said, apparently making a decision, and approaching him.

"What? Max…"

"Shut up." She said, pressing a finger to his lips. She stepped closer, and put the other hand behind his head, replacing the finger with her lips. Before Alec had a chance to object, he found himself holding her back. Max fumbled with the bottom of his shirt, and they parted momentarily while she ripped it off, and pushed him back so that he tripped onto the bed. Max followed close behind.

Alec awoke slowly, and smiled, remembering the previous night. He stretched out without opening his eyes… and found the other side of the bed empty. His eyes snapped open even as he leapt from the bed, wrapping the covers round himself. On the chair, there was a note. Filled with dread, Alec picked it up, and read.

_Alec,_

_ I really am sorry- I just had to go. _

_Sorry._

_-Max_

Alec dressed faster than the nights when they'd had surprise training sessions back at Manticore and he'd had the threat of Manticore punishment to spur him on. He raced out of the room, glancing left and right, but seeing no sign of Max he continued. He broke every known speed limit on his bike on the way to Cindy's. He knocked desperately on the door, and when Cindy answered it, looking rather annoyed, he cried,

"Is she here? Tell me she didn't really leave? Cindy?" 

she frowned,

"What the hell are you talking about boy?" she said, as he pushed past her into the apartment. Standing calmly against one wall, was Max, grinning broadly. Cindy looked back and forth between them, thoroughly confused.

"Max." Alec gasped. Max shrugged,

"When you gotta go…" She said cheekily. Alec looked as if he might faint. Cindy sighed.

"Right, I'm clearin' out, but sometime you two are gonna lay this down for original Cindy. K?" Max smiled and said,

"There's nothing to explain."

"Yeah right." Cindy murmured, leaving. Alec took a step closer to Max.

"I thought you…" He managed.

"Yeah. Hurts, doesn't it." Max snapped back. Alec looked like a lost child, so scared and alone. Max sighed, "I just… I was so angry… but I… it wasn't your fault." She admitted. "I shouldn'a done what… we did, when I knew you had to leave. I guess I wanted to pretend you weren't going…"

"Max." He said quietly, approaching her, "I'm still sorry. Just going like that… it was wrong of me." Max couldn't get any more words out. She had turned to the window to hide the tears that were falling. She felt his strong arms snake around her, and his warm breath on her cheek as he spoke softly. "I'm sorry, Max." 

She sniffed,

"Are you back for good?" she whispered.

"Yes." He replied, "You?" Max made a sound somewhere between a laugh and a sob, and turned in his embrace to face him,

"You dumbass. I only left because…I couldn't stand this place without you anymore." She hadn't admitted that to anyone, not even Lucy. "Every where I looked, everything I touched, I thought of you. I couldn't take it any more." Alec raised one hand, gently wiping the tears from her cheeks with his thumb.

"There hasn't been a moment since I left when I haven't thought about you."

"That's really corny." She said, choking a laugh. He smiled,

"I know." 

Slowly, Max stood up on her tiptoes, supported by Alec's arms, and kissed him tentatively. She wrapped her arms about his neck, and one of his hands moved to the back of her head. They kissed deeply, and all the worry of the past few months was lost. None of that mattered anymore, because they had finally found each other.

When Cindy returned, they were sitting together on the couch, fast asleep. Max' head was rested on his chest, and his arms were around her, fingers entwined with hers. Each of them wore a warm smile, the likes of which Cindy had never seen on either of their faces. It was a smile of utter contentment, formed simply by the other being there. She shook her head, still not understanding how this had come to pass. She dropped the groceries on the counter and put some water in the kettle. She smiled, unable to even think how weird it was that it was Alec, because of course she was Cindy, relationship master, and had in some way always known they would fit together. Or that's what she told herself, anyway.

He he, I know, corny as hell, but its cute, right? Reviews please!!


End file.
